Salmonella Blog - Surveillance & analysis on salmonella news & outbreaks

San Jose has shut down the fountain at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez because health officials suspect as many as 14 people became sick after playing in the water there.

The Mercury News says the fountain was the common denominator for five confirmed cases of a cryptosporidium infection and eight to nine unconfirmed cases of salmonella. Both are transmitted by contaminated food or water.

The fountain was closed effective Friday and will remain closed until health and safety concerns are addressed, according to a news release from the city. Local health officials are conducting tests of the fountain water. Cryptosporidium test results are expected by Friday.

City officials say the sand filtration and sanitation systems and manual application of cleansing chemicals are ineffective for preventing both cryptosporidium and salmonella. They are developing recommendations to modify the system in order to “minimize or eliminate” outbreaks in the future.

Black currants have boosted their healthy food status after research showed they can combat the deadly hospital superbug MRSA. The fruit is already recognised for helping to prevent Alzheimer's disease and fight against heart disease and cancer.

Other bacteria such as salmonella and listeria can also be stopped in their tracks.

The research was carried out by scientists from the Scottish Crop Research Institute, in Dundee, led by Derek Stewart.

Indiana state health officials have pinpointed the deli and bakery departments of a Greenwood Wal-Mart as the source of a salmonella outbreak that sickened at least 84 people this summer.

"We believe food handlers who didn't have any symptoms may have contaminated the deli and bakery products," Lynae Granzow, enteric epidemiologist with the Indiana State Department of Health, said in a written statement.

Overnight from Friday to Saturday, an outside contractor performed a "deep cleaning" on the area, said Mia Masten, director of corporate affairs for Wal-Mart's Midwest division. In addition, all prepared foods were discarded, Masten said.

Wal-Mart employees are fully trained in health and safety precautions, including hand washing, but "we are reminding our associates of those protocols," Masten said.

The state health department was contacted July 11 by the Marion County Health Department about an increase in salmonella cases, beginning in May. As of Monday, 84 cases had been reported.

State health investigators report the Wal-Mart in Greenwood appears to be the source of an outbreak of Salmonella poisonings. The bakery and deli areas of the store are at the center of the investigation.

84 cases of the illness have been reported since May in Johnson and Marion counties.

All suspicious foods have been discarded and both the deli and bakery have been cleaned and sanitized.

A Wal-Mart deli and bakery have been identified as the source of a recent salmonella outbreak in Greenwood, the Indiana State Health Department reported. The salmonella outbreak sickened at least two dozen people in the past two months, reports the Indianapolis Star.

"We believe food handlers who didn't have any symptoms may have contaminated the deli and bakery products," Lynae Granzow, a health department epidemiologist, said in a news release.

"This is a rare occurrence, and we are confident that Wal-Mart has properly addressed the situation by moving the employees to another part of the store, and cleaning all the equipment and surfaces," said Granzow.

Food available at the store now is safe, but people who bought ready-to-eat items at that Wal-Mart's deli and bakery areas before Saturday "should discard those items, or return them to the store for a refund," the health department said.

Lately, there are lots of baby turtles available in souvenir stores, some pet stores, on the Boardwalk and the Ocean Walk in Daytona Beach, Florida. At the flea market there, at least five vendors sell them.

The curious thing is that the turtles are illegal. Selling them is punishable, technically anyway, by up to a year in jail.

Baby turtles were popular dime-store pets in the 1950s and '60s. But they were banned by the FDA in 1975 after some 280,000 cases of salmonella sickness -- largely in children -- were linked to them. No turtle under 4 inches in length could be sold in the United States, except for "scientific, educational, or exhibition purposes." Stiff penalties were attached.

Salmonella exposure is easily prevented by a hand-washing regimen (or a dollop of Purell), but small kids aren't so fastidious. To make matters worse, small turtles are bite-size -- and kids popped them into their mouths.

"Turtles continue to be a significant carrier of pathogenic organisms, particularly affecting small children," the FDA declared in a May 1975 news release. "A ban of sales is the only action which will adequately protect public health."

Health Canada has issued an advisory to parents not to give unpasteurized apple juice or other unpasteurized products including cider, fruit juices and raw milk to their children. Even the elderly and people with weak immune systems are advised not to consume such products.

The reason is that such products contain Salmonella and E. coli, which are harmful bacteria and can prove fatal. But Health Canada also said that a majority of juice in the country was safe and pasteurized. “Unpasteurized juice products can be found at some farmer's markets, orchards, and grocery stores,” it added.

Some of the symptoms of taking unpasteurized products include stomach cramps, vomiting, fever and bloody diarrhea.

People who were sickened by a Mother's Day brunch at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Ontario last year will be eligible for between $500 and $50,000 compensation, after a proposed agreement was reached that will avert two class-action lawsuits.

The agreement sets out four levels of compensation based on the length of illness.

Halton health department files show 288 people ate the brunch and that agency's investigation showed about 155 could be included in the class- action. An investigation found salmonella bacteria in the roast beef served by Compton & Greenland, owned by Kate Greenland, at the Mother's Day buffet May 8, 2005.

The incident has resulted in seven charges laid by Halton's health department and a $1.1 million suit filed by the RBG. The caterer has also filed a $3- million countersuit against the RBG.

State health officials want to know what caused a salmonella outbreak that sickened more than four dozen people around Indianapolis this summer.

Since late May, 56 cases of salmonella were reported in Marion and surrounding counties. Ten of those victims ended up in the hospital. None became seriously ill. Investigators have theories about where it originated - probably from one source - but they won't give specifics yet.

"We are looking at Greenwood, Indiana, as a possible source and it is about 56 cases as of today," said Lynae Granzow, Indiana State Department of Health. "We are looking into any possibility that our case investigations provide and that can include restaurants, grocery stores, untreated water sources, any area you may find any food, contaminated livestock, petting zoos, things of that nature."

Lynae Granzow, an epidemiologist with the Indiana State Department of Health, was cited as saying that since late May, there have been 56 Salmonella cases reported in Marion County and surrounding areas. That number is much higher than normally expected.

Health officials are, according to the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, trying to determine the source of a Salmonella outbreak that's sickened more than four dozen Indianapolis residents.

Health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak in the Greenwood area that has sickened at least two dozen people in the last two months, reports the Indianapolis Star.

In June and July, 48 cases of salmonella have been reported in Marion and Johnson Counties. That's about 30 cases more than are reported in a typical month, said Lynae Granzow, an enteric epidemiologist with the health department.

Those sickened may have picked up the bacteria from a restaurant, grocery store, untreated water source or a lizard, but investigators are declining to give specifics until the investigation is complete.

Latham's Meat Co., a North Jackson restaurant, voluntarily closed its doors for two days in late July after some 30 to 40 people who claimed to have gotten sick from eating barbecue there tested positive for salmonella, according to the Jackson Sun.

Health department officials could not say for sure that the salmonella infection came from Latham's, according to Steven Bell, the health department's regional environmental manager.

But owner Paul Latham voluntarily closed the restaurant to give the premises "a real good cleaning," Bell said Friday. Latham also allowed all of his employees to participate in a food safety course at the health department. The health department conducted an inspection at Latham's in response to the complaints. The Department of Agriculture had also gotten complaints a few days before the health department.

The day it did its inspection, the health department did find "a lot of food" on a display table that was not the correct temperature, Bell said. The food was not hot enough, he added.

Other than that, the health department found no signs of salmonella on equipment and meat it tested. Latham's employees also tested negative for the salmonella.

A new testing kit for Salmonella promises to give the most sensitive detection results in less than a day, its manufacturers claim. Oxoid claims its DuPont lateral flow system Salmonella test has the ability to detect one colony forming unit of Salmonella in a 25g food sample within 24 hours.

The kit has its own primary enrichment medium for testing that facilitates the recovery of sub-lethally injured and healthy cells in only five hours for more reliable results. Oxoid claims that the product worked perfectly in two controlled line tests.

Minimal training is required to effectively use the kit making it suitable for salmonella screening in both large and small laboratories. Small labs also may be interested in the claim that the kit requires no capital investment.

The kit is suitable for use with raw meat and poultry, processed meats, dairy products, eggs and other fresh produce.

The Salmonella test is part of the Oxoid's expanding range of DuPont kits. The company has kits for detecting Listeria, E coli and other systems specifically suited for the detection of yeasts and molds.

To evaluate the survival of Salmonella on raw almond surfaces, whole almond kernels were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis and the results published in the August issue of the Journal of Food Protection.

Some inoculated almonds, after a 24-h drying period, were stored for 161 days at 23.3 degrees C. Other inoculated kernels, after drying, were stored for 171 or 550 days, respectively, at selected temperatures, including -20.2 degrees C, 4.2 degrees C, 23.3 degrees C, and 35.2 degrees C.

The rates of reduction at 23 degrees C did not differ significantly between the inoculum preparation methods. This shows that Salmonella Enteritidis survives for long periods on almond kernels under a variety of common storage conditions.

A total of 222 migrant construction workers have been hospitalized in a food poisoning outbreak in the Russian capital and 10 are in serious condition.

According to Nikolai Malychev, chief doctor of Moscow's infectious diseases hospital number one, 127 labourers had been hospitalised in four Moscow hospitals, and 95 more in several Moscow region hospitals.

"The infection that led to the hospitalizations resembles salmonella," the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted Malychev as saying.

The workers came from Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, and various former Soviet countries. They had been working at four building sites around the city, and according to a preliminary investigation, were struck down by food poisoning after eating a meal of grilled meat at their workplaces.

Deniz, the Turkish company that had delivered the meals, has been closed, Russia's chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko.

The bacteria that are harmless and beneficial far outnumber harmful varieties. Because they are capable of producing so many enzymes necessary for the building up and breaking down of organic compounds, bacteria are employed extensively by humans -- for soil enrichment with leguminous crops, for preservation by pickling, for fermentation as in the manufacturing of vinegar and certain cheeses and many other specialized processes.

However, bacteria in food cause food-borne infection. If bacteria become numerous and the food is eaten, the bacteria may continue to grow in the intestines, set up an infection and cause illness. Among the most common food-borne illnesses are salmonella, E.coli, and listeria.

To protect yourself from these bacteria, reports the Salisbury Post, control the temperature of food. Avoid the “danger zone” temperatures between 41 and 135 degrees, where harmful microorganisms grow and multiply.

In addition, pay close attention to the purchase, storage, preparation, serving and handling of food. Consumers should be careful in the way they handle and prepare food. Always remember to clean, separate, cook and chill.

A total of 215 foreign construction workers have been hospitalized in Moscow and its environs with suspected food poisoning, a source in the capital's health-care department said Wednesday.

"As of 06.00 a.m. Moscow time, 121 people have been brought to hospitals in Moscow. Another 94 workers have been taken to hospitals near Moscow," the department said, also confirming that two patients remained in a serious condition. The emergencies ministry said earlier that about 208 people had fallen ill.

The ministry said most of the workers were from Turkey and former Soviet republics, the main source of cheap workforce for numerous construction projects in booming Moscow, many of which are implemented by Turkish firms.

The head of the service, Gennady Onishchenko, said Wednesday the workers could have contracted salmonella poisoning. The Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare, which is investigating the incident, said food delivered for the workers was to blame, but added the source of an infection and the infection itself were still to be identified.

Two years after four Preston County residents were diagnosed with salmonella poisoning after eating at the Parsons Sheetz, they are, according to The Dominion Post and McClatchy-Tribune Business News, fighting the company in court.

Charles W. Graham Jr., his wife Nancy E. Graham, their daughter Sarah R. Graham, and Nancy's sister, Suzanne K. Benson, filed the suit, seeking $70,000 plus pre- and post-judgment interest, costs and attorney fees, and whatever relief the court finds appropriate.

Both Charles Graham and Benson were hospitalized and subsequently diagnosed with salmonella poisoning. Graham also had surgery to remove his gall bladder.

Kingwood attorney Paul Estep, who is representing them in their lawsuit, was cited as saying they tried to reach an agreement with Sheetz before filing suit, adding, “They promised they would attempt to settle before filing the suit, and they only offered a little more than the medical bills.”

Miami, Florida-based Fullei Fresh is recalling its 5-ounce containers of alfalfa sprouts because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled alfalfa sprouts were distributed statewide in food service establishments. The product comes in a 5-ounce, clear plastic cup container. This product was grown and packaged by Fullei Fresh, and distributed by produce companies.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. Distribution of this product has been suspended while the company continues its investigation as to the source of this finding.

Salinas, CA-based Classic Salads doesn't yet know what led to a recent sample of the company's product testing positive for Salmonella contamination, but the company is, according to The Produce News, attempting to get to the bottom of the problem.

According to Classic Salads Sales Manager Lex Camany, the company was alerted through a third-party audit conducted by Primus Labs to a presumptive positive test result at 2 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Thursday, July 27. An hour later, it began voluntary recall procedures for the entire day's harvest in question: the July 24 harvest of baby spinach and spring mix from various locations in the Salinas Valley, which was distributed to foodservice accounts in the United States and Canada.

Mr. Camany was further cited as saying the recall involved up to 30,000 packages of baby spinach and spring mix products and cost the company up to $500,000. Though the recall already was in place, Classic Salads sent out samples to a separate, independent lab on Friday, July 28 -- the same day much of the product was landing at foodservice sites around the nation.

On Saturday, July 29, Primus returned a "negative" finding for Salmonella contamination from its samples. Then on Monday, July 31, the separate, independent lab enlisted by Classic Salads returned a "positive" finding for Salmonella contamination from one sample.

As of Aug. 8, there had been no reports of illnesses related to consumption of the produce. All baby spinach and spring mix in question was harvested from several locations in the Salinas Valley.

Classic Salads is certified by the American Institute of Baking and by the USDA through USDA's Qualified Through Verification program. On July 26, the day before being alerted to the presumptive positive testing result, Classic Salads attained a Level 1 score - the highest given by organization. Since the recall, Classic Salads has been working with two more labs to try to determine the cause of the contamination.

Additional guarantees for Salmonella in imported defined animal-derived foods were agreed on for Finland when it was admitted to the European Community. The aim of this project was to evaluate the impact of these AGs on the prevalence of Salmonella in the Finnish beef supply and the adequacy of their scope.

The extension of AGs to all imported fresh beef would have reduced the Salmonella prevalence of beef imports from three- to fourfold, whereas expanding the implementation of AGs to all imports of fresh beef, beef preparations, and beef products would have resulted in a sixfold decrease.

If current AGs targeting fresh beef intended to be sold as fresh or to be processed by the Finnish industry with processes not achieving 70 C were not implemented, the 95% credible interval of Salmonella prevalence in the Finnish beef supply would be 0.2 to 1.3% instead of 0.1 to 1.2%. However, if the prevalence in the exporting countries were to rise or the main import countries and/or magnitudes were to change, AGs would be of greater importance.

Investigations are continuing into the source of a recent salmonella outbreak at a west Cumbrian hotel. 98-year-old Jessie Hewitson from Carlisle died, and another ended up in intensive care after contracting salmonella more than a month ago.

It is believed the food-poisoning outbreak was linked to a tiramisu dessert served at Hundith Hill Hotel, near Cockermouth, on July 2. A total of 16 people reported salmonella symptoms. Fourteen tested positive.

Allerdale council's environmental health team, together with the Health Protection Agency, are now investigating the source of the outbreak.

Over 50 people who ate at the hotel have been interviewed as part of the investigation and the dessert in question has been discontinued. Health experts say there is no longer any risk.

A Wilmington resident has contracted salmonella. He thinks he got food poisoning from eating at a local fast food restaurant.

Twenty-four-year-old Ryan Conn started to feel sick the day after eating at a local fast food restaurant. He went to the Medac on Shipyard Boulevard for treatment. A few days later the tests came back positive that Conn had salmonella food poisoning.

However, the case wasn't reported to the Health Department for more than two weeks.

According to the New Hanover County Health Department, doctors and hospitals are required to report cases of salmonella within 24 hours of the diagnosis. But in this case, that didn't happen. The Health Department says it won't do a full investigation for only one case. They usually wait for multiple cases to surface in an area before trying to pinpoint the cause. But if cases are not reported, the Health Department won't be able to look for patterns. Each case will look like an isolated incident.

Pasteurization, since its adoption in the early 1900s, has been credited with dramatically reducing illness and death caused by contaminated milk. But today, some people are passing up pasteurized milk for what they claim is tastier and healthier "raw milk."

More than 300 people in the US got sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk in 2001, and nearly 200 became ill from these products in 2002, according to the CDC.

Drinking raw milk or eating raw milk products is "like playing Russian roulette with your health," says John Sheehan, director of the FDA's Division of Dairy and Egg Safety. "We see a number of cases of foodborne illness every year related to the consumption of raw milk."

Raw milk advocates claim that unprocessed milk is healthier because pasteurization destroys nutrients and the enzymes necessary to absorb calcium. It also kills beneficial bacteria and is associated with allergies, arthritis, and other diseases, they say.

This is simply not the case, says Sheehan. Research has shown that there is no significant difference in the nutritional value of pasteurized and unpasteurized milk, he says. The caseins, the major family of milk proteins, are largely unaffected, and any modification in whey protein that might occur is barely perceptible.

"Milk is a good source of the vitamins thiamine, folate, B-12, and riboflavin," adds Sheehan, "and pasteurization results in losses of anywhere from zero to 10 percent for each of these, which most would consider only a marginal reduction."

Between 30,000 and 35,000 bags of baby spinach and spring mix, manufactured by Classic Salads, are being recalled because of possible salmonella contamination, according to the FDA.

The recall includes 4-pound, 2-pound and 10-ounce bags of baby spinach as well as 3-pound, 1.5-pound, 1-pound and 7-ounce bags of spring mix.

The affected spinach and spring mix bags were processed on July 24 and distributed in the United States, Canada and Japan.

No illnesses have been reported.

Salinas-area Classic Salads has voluntarily recalled up to 30,000 packages of baby spinach and spring mix products in the past week after lab tests showed they might be contaminated with salmonella.

No illnesses related to consumption of the produce -- grown in the Salinas Valley and sold almost entirely to food service customers like restaurants and hotels -- have been reported.

Company officials recalled the product, distributed nationwide and in Canada, hours after the sampling of a finished product on July 27 tested positive for salmonella, said Classic Salads sales manager Lex Camany.

The decision will cost the processor-shipper more than $500,000. Officials could have waited until Monday to get confirmation that the test was accurate and then recall the produce, but they decided not to take any chances, said Camany.

The big question that remains unanswered is where the salmonella bacteria came from. Camany said the company is in contact with research scientists and consultants and is "expeditiously researching how this could have happened."

Classic Salads of Salinas, CA is voluntarily recalling 4lb., 2lb. and 10 oz. Baby Spinach and 4lb., 3lb., 1.5lb., Spring Mix, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Baby Spinach/Spring Mix was distributed nationwide, as well as Canada and Japan, to foodservice, institutions and distributors.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The European Commission has adopted two regulations to curb the prevalence of Salmonella in poultry and eggs across the EU, the commission said in a press release. The first regulation sets out targets for the reduction of Salmonella in laying hens, which in turn would lead to less Salmonella in eggs.

Each EU member state will have to meet an annual target of reducing the number of laying hens infected with Salmonella by a specific minimum percentage, with steeper targets for countries with higher levels of Salmonella.

The ultimate target is to bring down Salmonella levels to 2 percent or less.

The second regulation sets out rules on the methods used to control Salmonella in poultry, including mandatory vaccination from 2008 onwards for laying hens with a Salmonella prevalence of 10 percent or more.

In addition to the two regulations, the Commission is also considering the feasibility of accelerating the introduction of a ban on marketing eggs from Salmonella-infected flocks.

Zoonoses cause diseases that lead to numerous sick days, needless deaths and large public health costs in the EU every year -- like the ones caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and toxin producing E. coli. In a press release issued by the European Commission, several common questions about food safety were addressed:

What impact do food-borne diseases have on overall public health?

About 400 000 human cases of zoonoses were reported across the 25 EU Member States in 2004. The EU report on zoonoses for 2004 records 119 human deaths from zoonoses. It is however estimated that the real number of cases and deaths is much higher, as not all cases are analysed and there is thought to be considerable underreporting of human cases.

How can food-borne zoonoses be limited or eradicated?

Zoonoses are notoriously difficult to control given that a number of the micro-organisms involved are ubiquitous and not easily completely eliminated from the food chain. Pathogen reduction in animals is a key part of preventing the spread of infection via food, while good hygiene practices and good manufacturing practices in food production and preparation are also important.

What has been done at EU level to try to reduce zoonoses?

A whole body of legislation has been laid down at EU level to try to reduce zoonoses and food-borne diseases.

In 2003, framework legislation for the control of zoonoses in the EU was adopted. Directive 2003/99/EC on monitoring zoonotic agents, aims to improve knowledge of the sources and trends of these pathogens, to support microbiological risk assessments and to serve as a basis to adopt measures to manage risks.

Regulation 2160/2003 to reduce the occurrence of zoonotic agents, prioritising salmonella, focuses mainly on reduction of zoonotic agents in animals at the farm, often a starting point for contamination of animal products. There is also EU legislation specifically covering zoonotic animal diseases and monitoring measures in place for zoonotic diseases in animals.

How high is the risk of catching a food-borne disease in the EU compared to the rest of the world?

The likelihood of becoming infected with a food-borne illness in the EU is generally much lower than in many other parts of the world, largely thanks to the measures in place to monitor and control zoonoses. The EU has one of the most effective systems to monitor zoonoses and therefore has a good awareness of the high prevalence of zoonoses. While it is not possible to eradicate zoonoses from nature, it is possible to take measures to prevent or reduce the incidence of food-borne diseases caused by zoonoses. The EU has one of the strictest bodies of legislation on food safety in the world. The same stringent provisions apply to foodstuffs produced in the EU and those imported from third countries.

How prevalent is Salmonella in the EU?

Salmonella is probably the most significant zoonosis in the EU. Over 192 000 human cases were reported in 2004, and it is likely that many more went unreported. The prevalence of Salmonella in poultry and other animals varies widely from one Member State to the next.

At EU level, what has been done / is being done to reduce Salmonella in meat?

The Commission intends to set down targets for the reduction of Salmonella in broiler and turkey flocks, and in herds of fattening and breeding pigs over the next few years. The reduction of Salmonella in live animals for food production will help to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in meat.

National authorities are required to verify that food operators comply with the legislation. Minced meat, meat preparations and certain meat products cannot be put on the market, or must be withdrawn if already on the market, if Salmonella is detected in any of the tested samples at production level or on the market.

From 2011, fresh poultry meat may not be placed on the market unless there is an absence of salmonella in 25g tested.

At EU level, what has been done/ is being done to reduce Salmonella in eggs?

The Regulation adopted by the Commission in July 2006 sets targets for the reduction of Salmonella in laying hens. The first target deadline is set for 2008, although Member States will have to submit national control programmes on salmonella reduction in laying hens to the Commission by early 2007. Such targets are already set for breeding hens.

In addition to these measures, the Regulation on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs also sets Salmonella criteria for egg products which guarantee that food containing egg products is safe. From 2010 onwards, eggs from Salmonella-infected flocks will be banned completely from being sold as table eggs in the EU, and will have to undergo a sterilisation procedure if they are to be used for processing into egg products.

How will it be ensured that these targets are respected?

Firstly, Member States will be required to carry out sampling and monitoring of flocks, and report the results to the Commission. They must draw up national control programmes and send them to the Commission within 6 months of the Regulation entering into force. If the Commission approves the national programmes, EU funding will be provided to help with the monitoring and control measures to reduce salmonella.

What can concretely be done to reduce Salmonella levels in flocks?

At farm level, among the measures that can be taken to reduce Salmonella in flocks are checks on feed and water to ensure that they are not contaminated with Salmonella and basic on-farm hygiene practices.

Vaccination can play an important role, as was confirmed in the EFSA opinion which stated that the vaccination of poultry can be an additional measure to increase the resistance of birds against Salmonella exposure and decrease the shedding. The Regulation on requirements for the use of specific control methods for the control of Salmonella in poultry, to be adopted by the Commission in the coming weeks, stipulates that from 2008, all Member States with Salmonella Enteritidis  prevalence above 10% must vaccinate laying hen flocks.

Why does the EU not advocate the use of antimicrobials (e.g. antibiotics) to control salmonella in live flocks?

An EFSA Opinion recommended that the use of antimicrobials should be discouraged due to public health risks associated with development, selection and spread of antimicrobial resistance. It is the general policy of the Commission to reduce the use of antimicrobials for non medicinal purposes in animals for the same reason.

In addition, if poultry is treated by antibiotics, detection of the Salmonella is difficult so an infection may be hidden but not eliminated from the flock.
In the EFSA report on the prevalence of Salmonella in laying hens, it is noted that giving the poultry antibiotics within 2 weeks prior to testing did not seem to have any impact on the level of Salmonella in poultry.

Can Member States apply national criteria for the placing on the market poultry products?

If a Member State wants to apply a national salmonella criterion which could pose a barrier to other Member States' meat, it must first notify and get approval from the Commission and other Member States, giving scientific justification for the measure. The same rules must apply to meat in the Member State as to other Member States' import i.e. if a Member State sets strict salmonella criteria for meat imports, these criteria must also apply to its own meat. However, the other Member States have to agree on such an approach to apply national criteria.

Can a Member State withdraw contaminated food from the market?

Under Regulation 178/2002 ("the General Food Law"), a Member State can withdraw food from the market which is considered unsafe. Such measures must be scientifically justified.

What can consumers do the prevent Salmonella infections?

While this point can't really be pushed too hard, it can be noted that there is a certain level of retailer/consumer responsibility when it comes to preventing food-borne diseases such as Salmonella. If meat or eggs with a small level of Salmonella are kept refrigerated and in hygienic conditions, and are properly cooked, then it is likely the Salmonella will not develop to levels sufficient to affect the health.

Sheetz Inc. has settled all but a few customer lawsuits spawned by salmonella-tainted tomatoes sold at its convenience stores two years ago.

So far, most of the money paid to Sheetz customers has come from U.S. Fire Insurance Co. The company insured Coronet Foods Inc., of Wheeling, W. Va., which sold the tomatoes to Sheetz. What remains to be seen is whether U.S. Fire will be reimbursed by Coronet's suppliers and their insurance companies. Sheetz officials and Coronet's former owner are also seeking damages for the harm done to the businesses, said Sheetz's San Diego-based attorney, Fred Gordon.

"I have uncovered zero evidence to suggest that Sheetz did anything wrong other than being a conduit for tainted tomatoes," Gordon said. "If Coronet is a conduit and Sheetz is a conduit, then you take the next step and determine who the upstream suppliers are."

Federal investigators traced the tomatoes to a Florida packing house, but said nothing was done wrong there to taint them. The feds also absolved Sheetz and Coronet.